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When it comes to buying gemstones for your jewellery, it’s not always about the colour, while that is still an important consideration. It is, however, importantly about your personality and fashion style.
So, before you settle on an emerald or decide to buy alexandrite, for example, here’s a few tips on how to pick the right gemstone for your next piece of jewellery.
Consider Wear And Use
When it comes to gemstones in your jewellery, you need to consider durability. While both wearability and durability are usually determined by the level of hardness, it’s not always the case.
When we talk about the hardness of gemstones, we’re talking about the stone’s resistance to scratches and not its resistance to drying, fracturing, denting, parting or crumbling. Some hard gemstones can be rather fragile and easily split with even the softest blow, examples of these include topaz and diamonds.
There are other types of gems, though, that are even softer but are considered incredibly durable, like jadeite and nephrite.
The overall durability and toughness of a stone for your jewellery is measured by:
- Cleavage
- Hardness
- Sensitivity
- Tenacity
- Fracture
The Affordability of Gemstones
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If budget is of no concern, then you’re best opting for untreated, natural gemstones. This are gems that are found in an unenhanced and untreated state.
However, most of us have a budget and are okay with enhanced gems. These can help save costs without sacrificing the look of the stone. If you don’t have any issues with treated gemstones, then enhanced stones open up so many options for you. This is in part due to the fact that some of the more popular gemstones on the market just can’t be found untreated, such as blue topaz and zircon.
The Versatility Of Gemstones
How are you going to wear your gemstone jewellery? Will you wear it every day or only bring it out on special occasions?
White diamonds are a common choice for engagement rings, and they’re hardy enough to wear all the time. But many of the coloured types of gemstones may not be as versatile as their white diamond counterparts. It’s worth knowing though that coloured gemstones can be custom-designed according to how you wish to wear them.
When it comes to shopping for a gemstone, make sure the colour will suit your personality and style. If you’re looking for an extremely versatile stone, consider garnets, sapphires, tourmaline, spinel and even aquamarine.
Consider Availability
Some coloured stones are incredibly rare that no matter how much you search, you might not find what you want. Availability can also affect the way you buy your gemstones. Some stones, like critine and amethyst are easy to come by, while others must be sources from other countries.
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Many kinds of gemstones are also limited to certain weights or sizes. Often, certain kinds of stones will only be available in small sizes. Gemstones like alexandrite are not often found in large sizes.
When it comes to buying gemstones for jewellery, these are the most important factors to consider. But don’t forget to take into account clarity, cut and colour, too!
